Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 2 September, 2012
“Those that be planted in the house of the Lord
shall flourish in the courts of our God” (Ps. 92:13)
Morning Service – 11:00 AM
The Pilgrim Psalms (9)
The Blessed God-Fearer [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Zechariah 8
Text: Psalm 128
I. The Way of His Blessedness
II. The Spheres of His Blessedness
III. The Source of His Blessedness
Psalms: 18:1-7; 3:1-8; 127:1-5; 128:1-6
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
Telling the Truth [youtube]
Scripture Reading: John 18:19-40
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 43
I. The Basis for Telling the Truth
II. The Meaning of Telling the Truth
III. The Judgment for Not Telling the Truth
Psalms: 15:1-5; 4:1-8; 140:1-6; 52:1-5, 8-9
For CDs of the sermons and DVDs of the worship services, contact Stephen Murray
If you desire a pastoral visit, please contact Rev. Stewart
CPRC website: www.cprc.co.uk
CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni
CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/CovenantPRC
Quote to Consider
Geerhardus Vos:” Not only must truth from the nature of the case be the prime mover in every religious activity of the soul and in all progress of piety, but also the more fundamental and ultimate the truth apprehended, the greater will prove the power stored up in it for fructifying and quickening spiritual life.”
Thomas Watson: “A perjured person is the devil’s excrement. He is cursed in his name, and seared in his conscience. Hell gapes for such a windfall” (The Ten Commandments, p. 172).
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
On the back table today are the August CR News and Rev. McGeown’s bi-monthly letter.
The Council has nominated Brian Crossett for an additional 3-year term as elder. A vote by male confessing members to approve/disapprove of this will be held after this evening’s service (Church Order 22).
The cry room is to be used for training small children to sit in the sanctuary and not as an infirmary. If you have, say, a cold and are concerned about passing it on to people, do not go into the cry room (for the young children are more susceptible to catching it) but please go upstairs, where you can still see and hear the service and so participate as much as possible.
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s Day (Gospel 846MW at 8:30 AM) will be “Remember Me, O God, for Good” (Nehemiah 13:30-31).
Catechism starts next week Monday, 10 September. Catechism books will be available on the back table (be sure to take the right ones and not someone else’s).
The Tuesday morning Bible study on the millennium begins this season at 11 AM on 11 September.
The Belgic Confession Class will meet next week Wednesday, 12 September, at 7:45 PM, to study article 16 on “Eternal Election.”
The Council will meet on Thursday, 13 September, at 7 PM.
Ladies’ Discussion group: please speak to Susan or Alison if you are interested in joining us to discuss women of the Bible this season. We hope to meet for the first time on Friday, 21 September, at 10:30 AM.
Offerings: General – £1,656.51. Donation: £25 (DVDs).
Website Additions: A Vietnamese translation of the Athanasian Creed and a Hungarian translation were added.
The Fear of God in the Home
Rev. A. den Hartog
(an excerpt from the Standard Bearer, vol. 56, issue: 1)
The fear of God must be the all pervasive and predominant characteristic of, our home. When men look at our homes they must above all say concerning us, “Behold how they fear God!” In our homes we must begin each day anew in the fear of God. In our homes our children must learn by our words and our examples what it means to fear God. Our children must grow up with, above all, one deep and profound impression of their father and mother and that is how they feared God.
We could not possibly make mention even of all of the passages of Scripture that speak directly of how we must fear God in our homes. We shall be able to pay attention only to a few in the course of this article and the next. One thinks immediately of the very familiar and beautiful Psalm 128, Have you ever paid special attention to the fact that all which this Psalm says proceeds from the first verse where we read, “Blessed is everyone that feareth the Lord, that walketh in His ways” …
One could easily write a single and lengthy article on just how this Psalm describes the significance of the fear of Jehovah for the home. Above all it emphasizes that only the home where there is the fear of Jehovah is truly happy and blessed. Without the fear of God our homes will have on them only the wrath and displeasure of God. Men, of course, from the time of the fall have tried very hard to establish a home without the fear of God and pursued the objective of having a happy and blessed home without the fear of Jehovah. This, however, is impossible. Only the home that-is established in the fear of God and continues in the fear of Jehovah will be blessed. That home will be truly blessed with the blessing of Jehovah God. Notice what the Psalm says of the prosperity of the labors that are done in a home of the God-fearing. Notice what the Psalm says concerning the place and blessedness of the wife and mother in the home of those who fear God. Notice what the psalm says about the blessedness of children in that home. Listen to what the Psalm says about seeing the prosperity of Zion and the kingdom of God and peace upon Israel. All of this proceeds from the home of the God-fearing. Study what the Psalm says concerning the significance of the fear of Jehovah and seeing our children’s children, the generations of the covenant. All of this proceeds from the fear of Jehovah mentioned in verse one. How important is the fear of Jehovah for our homes and what blessedness attends it!
… Let us consider some of the general principles of the fear of the Lord as they apply to our homes. That we fear God in our homes means that God truly lives in our homes. He is known in our homes. He lives in the conscious life of the members of the home, in their heart and in their soul. It is known in the morning that God is there, it is known throughout the whole day that God is there, it is known in the evening that God is there. The Sovereign, Almighty, Holy, Righteous, True, and Faithful God dwells in the midst of the home of the God-fearing. In all that takes place in our homes we have to do with our God. He knows and sees all that goes on in our home. The members of the God-fearing home seek God and His favour as the highest good and blessedness possible for man to attain unto. When decisions are made in the home of the God-fearing, God is consulted. When prosperity comes to the home of the God-fearing, there is an overflowing of thanksgiving to God. When adversity comes in this home it is recognized as the hand of God, and the mercy and goodness and faithfulness of God is relied upon. When there is sin in the home, then the members of that home fall down on their knees to plead for the forgiving mercy of God. When there is fear or danger, suffering or sorrow in the home of the God-fearing the first thing that is done is that the name of God is called upon.
Concretely all of this means of course that in the God-fearing home the Word of God is ever an open book. It is carefully studied. It is faithfully explained. It is inconceivable that a single day could go by without the opening of the holy scriptures. The Word of God is studied not merely as a book of abstract doctrine, or merely as a history book recounting the history of the people of God of old. The Word of God is studied as it is the wonderful living revelation of God. The Word of God is studied as the book that reveals God and His Son Jesus Christ Whom to know is life eternal. From the precious pages of the scriptures the God-fearing home learns more and more profoundly how wonderful our God is, how holy, how righteous, how true, how faithful, how gracious and merciful. The Word of God is studied as it reveals to us the wonderful covenant of God and tells of His unfailing mercy. The Word of God in the home of the God-fearing is understood as having direct and immediate significance for the day to day life and experience of God’s people in the world. The Word of God is studied as the only absolutely infallible rule for all our faith and life.
The God-fearing home is a house of prayer. God is prayed to in the morning with thanksgiving for His mercies that are new every morning. God is prayed to throughout the day for spiritual guidance and strength against the temptations of the world. It is known in the God-fearing home that father and mother, children and young people, cannot face the trials and temptations of the day without the help of their God. God is prayed to in the evening in recognition that every good and perfect gift of the day has come from Him. Not a day goes by in that home without the sincere humble confession of sin. God is prayed to in the night watches as the God Who never slumbers nor sleeps and Who is the keeper of the souls of His people.
May God grant that our homes are truly God-fearing!
